A smile and a wave can make my day.

“If a man is called to be a street sweeper, he should sweep streets even as a Michaelangelo painted, or Beethoven composed music or Shakespeare wrote poetry. He should sweep streets so well that all the hosts of heaven and earth will pause to say, 'Here lived a great street sweeper who did his job well.”

Martin Luther King Jr. 

My friend Matt is the happiest, most agreeable guy you could ever meet. His mellow demeanor and gentle ways are natural and not forced in the least. It actually kind of goes against what you might expect from a Goalie Dad. The high stress world of watching your son try to stop all of the pucks typically makes others grey prematurally, turn to heavy drinking and sour on all things wrong with society. But not Matt. Matt is always there to offer a smile, lend an ear and just be a good friend.

He works for the city and he's always quick to notice our truck as we drive by his project for the day. My day is made with a friendly wave. Matt's always happy and that makes me happy. 

If you have questions about the happenings in our big little town - detours, road construction, city projects on the horizon - ask Matt. It looks like fun. Well, Matt makes it look like fun. I mean, driving heavy equipment and slogging around in the sludge on the mean streets of Pine City might be one of those Dirty Jobs that Mike Rowe would stop by and sink his hands in to. I'm sure at times it's no fun. You couldn't tell by watching Matt work. He's always smiling. 

Following an all night snow storm last winter, I was out shoveling our driveway as more snow fell. The city's snow plow took it's one pass down our dead end road and when I saw it was Matt at the wheel, I flagged him down on the way back by. I asked him how things were going and if the Boss had him on a strict schedule to tend to. Matt quickly read between the lines and offered to take a second pass up and down 7th Avenue, knowing that it would keep my elderly neighbors happy that we were plowed curb to curb. And of course he did so with another wave and a smile. 

Yesterday I heard the rumble of a streetsweeper make it's way on to our street. The COVID lockdown affects people in different ways. Some of you can relate to the little shot of happiness it gave me to watch my friend drive by in the fancy new machine. As it crept past our house, I jumped from the couch and stood at the front window like a kid watching the Zamboni driver through the glass. My wife began to laugh at me.

Down and back once. I thought he was done. 

At the 2nd Street intersection, I could hear that he was turning around for another pass. I missed the slow moving machine go past a third time because I was defending my excitement and joy to my wife who continued to rib me on the silliness. But when Matt came past again, I ran out on the porch and saluted him with the biggest wave I could muster. He immediately saw me and waved back with an equal wave. A wave and a smile that said, " I see you, friend." - the way only Matt can do. 

Of course Michaelangelo swung back around for a finishing pass and painted a streetsweeping masterpiece.